Unanswered Questions on the English Ancestries and Birthplaces of the “Mary and John” Families of 1630.

EDWARD ROSSITER

According to NER Jan. 1984, p. 4-16, he was the son of Nicholas ROSSITER (d. 1 Apr. 1608) & Eliza _____ (bu. 28 Apr. 1608), of Comb St. Nicholas, Somerset, but no wills have been found. His grandfather was Philip ROSSITER & (1) _____, of Combe St. Nicholas and his great-grandfather was Richard ROSSITER (1463-1529) & Elizabeth PERYE, dau. of William PERYE & _____, dau. of John FRYE. No wills found.

Parish records of Combe St. Nicholas before 1678 are lost & Edward Rossiter left no will.

There is a Dr. CAMPBELL, a genealogist in Combe St. Nicholas who is claimed to have a great deal of information on the ROSSITERs, FRYEs & TORREY family, all of that village. Ref: NER Jan. 1937, p. 145-151. (See Vol. 3, p. 43)

[page 94]

THREE GENERATIONS OF DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM BLAKE OF DORCHESTER, MASS.

William BLAKE – Bpt. 10 July 1594, Pitminster, Somerset. He died, 25 Oct. 1663, Dorchester, Mass. He married, Agnes BAND, 27 Sept. 1617, Pitminster, prob. widow of Richard BAND & dau. of Hugh THORN. He was granted land in Dorchester on 14 May 1636 and he became a freeman and a member of the church on 14 Mar. 1639. It is not known when he came to New England. (Vol. 12, p. 79)

Children of William BLAKE & Agnes (THORN) BAND (Vol. 12, p. 79)

1. John BLAKE – Bpt. 30 Aug. 1618, Pitminster. He died, 25 Jan. 1688/9, Boston. He married, Mary (SOUTHER) SHAW, 16 Aug. 1654. He was one of the executors of the will of Governor John WINTHROP in 1676. No issue.

The village and parish of Combe St. Nicholas, Somerset provided a number of families who came to New England between 1630 and 1640. Edward ROSSITER came first, with his family on the “Mary & John” in 1630. He was one of the Assistants of the Massachusetts Bay Company and one of the most prominent passengers on that ship. He was followed in 1640 by the TORREYs and FRYs. A great deal of credit for this article, and particularly the photos and map, is due Miss Patricia PEARCE, of Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset, who visited Combe St. Nicholas and searched the records in the Somerset Record Office, Taunton.

THE ROSSITERS

Edward ROSSITER may have come with his wife _____ COMBE, daughter of John COMBE and brother of Joesph [sic] COMBE, but she may have died in England because there is no record of her in New England.

Evidently, Rev. John WHITE of Dorchester, Dorset, loaned Edward ROSSITER considerable money to prepare for his journey to New England. The total debt was 106 pounds, 9 shillings & 9 pence and it was partly paid by Edward’s son, Nicholas, before their departure. But when Edward died on 23 Oct. 1630, there was still 15 pounds, 25 shillings due Rev. WHITE. Among the charges was 47 pounds, 13 shillings & 4 pence, for the passage of 13 passengers (3 pounds, 13 shillings & 4 pence each).

Following is an attempt to identify these people. The five unknown passengers may have included, Edward’s wife (if she was still living), grandchildren and servants.

1. Edward ROSSITER

2. Son, Nicholas ROSSITER, who later returned.

3. Wife of Nicholas ROSSITER, who later returned.

4. Edward ROSSITER, son of Nicholas, who later returned.

5. Son, Bray ROSSITER.

6. Wife of Bray ROSSITER.

7. Daughter, Jane ROSSITER.

8. Son, Hugh ROSSITER, who later returned.

Plus five unidentified passengers.

[page 124]

THE FRYS

George FRY, came with his brother-in-law, William TORREY. He was possibly the son of the George FRY who witnessed the will of Joseph COMBE of Combe St. Nicholas, 21 Mar. 1619/20. The FRYs were also related to the ROSSITER & COMBE families.

THE COMBES

Although no member of the COMBE family of Combe St. Nicholas has been found that came to New England, they married into the above families.

THE WADFORD FARM & MILL OF PHILIP ROSSITER

Edward ROSSITER’s great-grandfather, Richard ROSSITER, was the first proved land owner in Combe St. Nicholas. When he died in 1529 he owned 4 messuages & 543 acres here. At that time his son Philip (Edward’s grandfather) inherited 4 messuages, 31 acres of meadow, 312 acres of pasture & 200 acres of woodland. In the 1583 Survey of the parish (SAS/SE86), “Philipus ROSSITER, gent. (farmer or husbandman) owned a dwelling and a new tucking mill. He paid 17 pounds a year to the Lord of the Manor (Wells Deanery). The other freemen of Combe were William BONNER, gent.- 15 pounds, William JEANES- 12 pounds, John BUETT- 2 pounds, John WALROD- 4 pounds, John DEWNELL- 20 pounds and _____ MALLETT- 12 pounds.

[photo]

Wadeford House (16th) of Philip ROSSITER

[page 125]

Philip ROSSITER’s house was called Wadeford and the fulling mill (woolen mill), which has been carefully restored, still stand today in a hamlet about 3/4 miles SE of Combe St. Nicholas. This is one of seven mills within a few miles of each other on the River Isle, the others all being grist mills for corn.

[photo]

Fulling Mill At Wadeford, Once Owned By Philip ROSSITER

Court Roll – 27 July 1608 – To the court came Thomasin CLARKE, William ROSSITER (brother or cousin of Edward?) and John CLARKE and surrendered a tenement called a “ten acre tenement” in the tithing of XII sect. granted again to John and Jane MARDEN. (The three named above were witnesses. Ref: ADD/277.)

1641, Nicholas ROSSITER, gent., of Combe (son of Edward, after Nicholas returned to England), holds for 3 lives, his property on lease – Anne, Jane & MaryROSSITER, all daughters of Nicholas. Ref: ADD/302.

THE LOWER CLAYHANGER FARM OF THE FRY FAMILY

The FRY family held a lease in 1574 (and possibly earlier) on the Lower Clayhanger Farm, less than a mile NE of Wadeford, where Philip ROSSITER lived.

NOTE: Savage says there was a Matthew GILLET who came on the Mary & John in 1634, first settled in Dorchester and then in Windsor in 1636. Banks says he came on the Mary & John in 1634 but settled in Salem. Stiles’ History of Windsor does not list him.

Today the house is a private residence, with Hamstone mullioned windows, a kitchen with a bread oven and a mullioned window in the rear wall. The roof was renewed in the early 19th century. The walls are two feet thick. The original date of the house cannot be placed because of work in 1940 destroyed much of the dating evidence.

Court Roll, 9 Oct. 1593 – To this court came John FRY and Agnes, his wife, and Isabella, wife of Richard SCREVEN. John FRY holds by right of his wife, Agnes, one tenement called a “ten acre tenement”, with the apprutenances in the tithing of Betham, to remain now of the said Isabella, by the names of Agnes COMBE and Isabella COMBE (daughters of John COMBE, deceased), John FRY and Agnes and Richard and Isabella SCREVEN, surrendered each and all into the hands of the Lord and all estates and interest in the said premises, with the intent that John FRY might be able to receive them again. Whereupon at this same court, the said John FRY, came and took from the Lord at the Steward’s hands, the said apputtenances, to have and to hold, for the lives of John FRY, Joseph COMBE and William COMBE, sons of the late John COMBE. Ref: ADD/257.

27 Sept. 1597– George FRY came to Court of Combe and leased land called “Wagges”, for the lives of George and his brother, John FRY of Ewell and John FRY, son of Lawrence of Stolfird. Ref: ADD/265.

15 Oct. 1608– To this Court came Dorothea (RICHARDS) FRY, wife of John FRY, the younger, gent., of Chehanger (Clayhanger), and took the reversion of one cottage, with curtilage, one acre of same, under Old Auster (A Celtic site for the farm, developed by the Saxons and always treated with great respect because of its great age as a site.), all held by John FRY, the younger, for the term of his life. To have and to hold for the lives of Dorothea, William FRY, son of William of Plymouth, Devon, yeoman, John RICHARDS, son of John of Churchstation, Devon. Ref: ADD/281.

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HAM FARM, HOME OF THE COMBE FAMILY

In 1599 Thomas COMBE at Ham Farm held 20 acres. This about one and one half miles N of Combe St. Nicholas. This was by “old Austet”, and ancient Celtic site. This farm is now occupied by Mr. HUTCHINGS.

The following BLAKE ancestry was taken from a 4 ft. by 12 ft. chart, on file at the Wiltshire Record Office, in Trowbridge, Wilts., England. It lists many lines not noted below to about 1800. The line below supposedly traces to Humphrey BLAKE of Over Stowey, Somerset, ancestor of Elizabeth SAUNDERS, wife of Henry WOLCOTT. Following is the introductory inscription on the chart:

“The genealogy of the ancient and worthy family of BLAGUE, BLAAKE or BLAKE, of great antiquity in the county of Wilts, where they had large possessions in Quemberford, Calne and Ililcot with a fair manor house called PINHILLS, now the seat of the family, a younger branch, from where they transplanted themselves into Hampshire and settling at East Town, were owners of that and divers other manor from whence the BLAKEs of Middlesex, etc. are immediately descended faithfully collected out of the several visitation books of the said counties remaining in the College of Arms and deducted to the issue of Daniel BLAKE of London, Anno 1690”.

1. RICHARD BLAGUE of Blake (Not found). He married Ann, daughter of William (COLE?).

3. WILLIAM BLAGUE of Blake. Heir. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. William POWER.

4. HENRY BLAGUE of Blake. Heir. He married Margaret, daughter & heir of William BILLETT.

[page 73]

5. ROBERT BLAGUE, Esq. of Quemford (hamlet, one half mile S of Calne, Wilts, 18 miles E of Bath). He married Avice, daughter of John WALLOP, Esq. of Farley, Southampton.

6. JOHN BLAGUE, Gent. Second son. He married Margaret DYNCHAN, DINHAM of Dentham.

7. DAVID BLAGUE. Heir. He married Joane MALLETT. He had a son, John BLAGUE, Abbott of Cirenester, Gloucestershire.

[page 74]

8. WILLIAM BLAGUE of Lacock, Wilts (8 miles W of Calne). He married Margaret, daughter of William BROWNE of Wablyn.

Children

a. Martin BLAGUE of Winchcomb, Gloucestershire. He married Catherine, daughter of George VAUGHN of Herfordshire.

b. John BLAGUE- See below.

9. JOHN BLAGUE. “From whom the BLAKEs of Somerset are descended of which family Major General Robert BLAKE the famous soldier and sea commander.” No arms listed. This line from generations 6 through 9 do not agree with the lines in SEARCH FOR THE PASSENGERS OF THE MARY & JOHN-1630, Volume 11, p. 62-66.

*****

The following line from the Wiltshire chart connects to some William BLAKEs of Eastontown, Southampton, that fits the genealogy in the above mentioned, Volume 11:

6. ROBERT BLAKE of Calne, Wilts. He was the son of Robert BLAGUE & Avice WALLOP (See #5 above). He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas INGLEFIELD of Inglefield, Berkshire & Margery, daughter of Richard DANVERS, Esq. of Cadworth, Northamptonshire.

7. ROGER BLAAKE, Esq. of Caivne (Calne?), Wilts. He died, 1556, age 57 (b. 1499). He married Mary BAYNARD, daughter of Philip BAYNARD, Esq. of Lackham, Wilts. Roger and his sister, married a brother and sister.

f. Mary BLAAKE. She married edward LANGRIDGE of Langride, Southampton.

g. Robert BLAAKE of borough of Carone (sp?). He married Alice, daughter of Robert SMYTH of Lackock, Wilts.

[page 75]

8. WILLIAM BLAKE of Eastontown als Essington, Southampton. Fourth son. Deceased, 1582. He married Avice, daughter of Sir Gervace RIPLEY, knight of Ripley, Southampton. Their figures appeared in a stained glass window in the church of Enham (sp?), Southampton, in the parish of Eastontown in 1622, seat of the branch of the family in Scituate (not found).

[photo]

Figures of William BLAKE, and his wife, Avice RIPLEY, in stained glass window, in Eastontown parish church in 1622.

9. WILLIAM BLAKE. Second son.

Children

a. William BLAKE. See below.

b. Peter BLAKE. Second son.

c. Nicholas BLAKE. Third son.

10. WILLIAM BLAKE of Eastontown (estate of Eastontown, Southampton?). He married Anne, daughter of Thomas TUFT (sp?) of Chilbolton, Southampton. (Chilbolton now appears to be in county, Hants, 3 miles south of Andover.). No issue listed.

[page 76]

The last three William BLAKEs, numbers 8, 9 & 10, appear to connect to the BLAKE Genealogy printed in the SEARCH FOR THE PASSENGERS OF THE MARY & JOHN-1630, Volume 11, p. 62-63. The following is copied from this source:

VII. WILLIAM BLAKE – He lived in White parish, Wilts and died in 1471. After his death his widow and two sons moved to Hampshire and settled in Andover, on the estate called, “Eastontown”, formerly part of the estate of her husband’s mother, Avice WALLOP.

Children

1. William BLAKE- See below.

2. Robert BLAKE- He lived in West Enham, Andover. He married, _____ SNELL.

VIII. WILLIAM BLAKE – He lived in Andover, White Parish, in Old Hall in Eastontown. he also had lands in Knights Enham (occupied by his brother in 1504). He married Mary, daughter of Humphrey COLES of Somerset. His will probated, 20 June 1547.

The following ancestry of the BLAKE family of Somerset, England was copied from a chart on exhibition in the Unitarian Chapel, crewkerne, Somerset, in June 1989. It was prepared by Mrs. Eleanor DIXON, a BLAKE descendant, from Bridgewater, Somerset.

This ancestry contradicts the BLAKE ancestry in Volume 12, p. 62, which states the BLAKE line to Elizabeth SAUNDERS, wife of Henry WOLCOTT, comes through William BLAKE (d. 1471), son of Robert BLAKE & Avice WALLOP. The ancestry below claims the correct line is through John BLAKE (d. 1504), son of Robert BLAKE & Avice WALLOP and brother of William BLAKE (d. 1471).

JOHN BLAKE of Nether Wallop, Hants. Born, 1430. Died, 1504. He married, Margery _____. His brother, Robert BLAKE of Calne, Wilts., was his heir and overseer of his will.

William BLAKE (1594-1663) of Dorchester, Mass. shares his BLAKE ancestry with Elizabeth SAUNDERS (1584-1655), wife of Henry WOLCOTT of Windsor, Conn. They were grandchildren of John BLAKE (1521-1576) of Over Stowey, Somerset. See Volume 11, p. 64-66. The parents of Elizabeth SAUNDERS were Thomas SAUNDERS (d. 1609) of Lydread St. Lawrence, Somerset and Anne BLAKE (b.a. 1549) of Over Stowey. The parents of William BLAKE were William BLAKE (d. 1642) of Pitminster, Somerset and Ann. Anne BLAKE and William BLAKE (the elder) were brother and sister, so Elizabeth SAUNDERS and William BLAKE (the emigrants) were first cousins.

William BLAKE was born in Pitminster and he was related to another emigrant from that village, Thomas RICHARDS. Thomas RICHARDS, was no doubt, a grandson of James RICHARDS, who died in Pitminster in 1608, and Alice BLAKE, daughter of John BLAKE of Over Stowey and sister of Anne BLAKE (mother of Elizabeth SAUNDERS.

It has been claimed that William BLAKE of Dorchester, brought his family on the “Mary & John” in 1630, but no prooof has been found. There is no early record of him in Dorchester and he being a prominent person, age 36, it would have been unlikely for him not to be mentioned if he had come in 1630. There is supposedly a Cleveland Genealogy that claims he sold a house in Aisholt, Somerset (3 miles south of Over Stowey), in January 1630 and went to America, but no proof is given. He was granted land in Dorchester, Mass. on 14 May 1636 and he became a freeman and a member of the church on 14 March 1639.

William BLAKE was baptised, 10 July 1594 in Pitminster, Somerset and he died, 25 Oct. 1663, Dorchester, Mass. He married Agnes BAND, 27 Sept. 1617, Pitminster. She was probably baptised, 12 June 1594, Pitminster, daughter of Hugh THORN and the widow of Richard BAND, whose will was written in 1616 and probated, 8 Jan. 1621. Agnes died, 22 July 1678, Dorchester, Mass. William BLAKE remained in Pitminster until 1624 but his whereabouts between 1624 and 1636 are not known. He possibly moved to Aisholt, Somerset.

On 14 May 1636, William BLAKE, with William PYNCHON and six others signed articles to form a plantation at Agawam (Springfield) on the Connecticut River. He remained in Dorchester and died there in 1663. He and his wife were probably buried in the Old North Burying Ground on Upham’s Corner, in Dorchester, but their tombstones have not been found.

Children of William BLAKE & Agnes THORNE (BLAKE-1898-2)

1. John BLAKE- Bpt. 30 Aug. 1618, Pitminster, Somerset. Died, 25 Jan. 1688/9, Boston. He m. Mary SOUTHER, 16 Aug. 1654, Boston, dau. of Nathaniel & Alice SOUTHER & widow of Joseph SHAW of Weymouth, who d. 13 Dec. 1653, 12 days after his marriage. Mary d. 7 Jan. 1693/4, Boston. John was a Boston merchant and a man of high social standing. He was one of the executors of the will of Gov. John WINTHROP in 1676. He evidently died without issue (Savage).

2. Anne BLAKE- Bpt. 30 Aug. 1618 (Prob. a twin), Pitminster. Died, 12 July 1681, Boston. She m. (1) Jacob LEAGER of Boston (as his second wife). He d. 24 Feb. 1662/3, Boston. He was a tailor. She supposedly m. (2) _____ HALLOWELL, but was widowed again. She was buried at the Third Church of Boston and her tombstone is now in the Bostonian Society. She had two children: (1) Bethia LEAGER (b. 1651) who m. Fearnot SHAW, a blacksmith, and they had 3 children & (2) Hannah LEAGER (b. 1655) who m. John WALKER, a “brick burner”. One dau. who prob. did not marry.

4. James BLAKE- Bpt. 27 Apr. 1624, Pitminster. He d. 28 June 1700, Dorchester. He m. (1) Elizabeth CLAPP (b.a. 1651) dau. of Dea. Edward CLAP & Prudence CLAP. She d. 16 Jan. 1693/4, age 61. He m. (2) Elizabeth SMITH, 17 Sept. 1695, dau. of Henry & Judith SMITH and widow of Peter HUNT. He built a very substantial houe off Cottage Street in Dorchester about 1650 which remained in the BLAKE family until 1825.

[photo]

HOUSE OF JAMES BLAKE IN DORCHESTER

In 1895, due to street widening, the Dorchester Historical Society moved this house to Richardson where it is now being maintained by the society. James BLAKE had 6 children by his first wife: (1) James BLAKE (b. 1652). He m. (1) Hannah MACEY & (2) Ruth BACHELLOR, (2) John BLAKE (b. 1656). He m. Hannah _____ and had 7 children, (3) Elizabeth BLAKE (b. 1658). She m. Jeremiah FULLER and had one son, (4) Jonathan BLAKE (b. 1660), d.y., (5) Sarah BLAKE (b. 1665), d.y., (6) Joseph BLAKE (b. 1667). He m. Mehitable BIRD. Eleven children.

References:

NER Jan. 1891, p. 35-38.

NER Vol. 89, p. 285-187.

Lineal Ancestors of Rhoda (AXTELL) CORY, 1937, Vol. II Pt. 1, p. 121.

BLAKE Family, by Samuel BLAKE, 1857.

BLAKEs of Somersetshire, from notes of Horatio G. SOMERBY, 1881.

Increase BLAKE of Boston, by Francis E. BLAKE, 1898.

*****

[page 101]

OVER STOWEY, HOME OF THE BLAKE FAMILY OF SOMERSET

Over Stowey Somerset was the home of the BLAKE family in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here are buried the ancestors of Elizabeth SAUNDERS, wife of Henry WOLCOTT: her maternal grandfather, John BLAKE, the elder (d. 1578), and her great-grandfather, Humphrey BLAKE (d. 1558). It is believed John BLAKE was buried in the church but his stone was removed and it may be the illegible memorial in the bell room. There is a large stone in the aisle of the church for Humphrey BLAKE (d. 1619), brother of Anne BLAKE, mother of Elizabeth SAUNDERS.

Humphrey BLAKE purchased large estates in this area and he became lord of Plainsfield Manor and was patron of the churches of Over Stowey & Aisholt. The Plainfield Manor was owned, in large part, by the BLAKE family for over 200 years. This manor house, one mile south of Over Stowey is now in Spaxton, and its name has been changed to the Courthouse Farm House. It is occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Ron DALLEY & Mrs. Beatrice May PITTY. Up to 1921 there was a fireplace in this house that bore the BLAKE coat-of-arms but it was removed that year and taken to Yeovil, Somerset.

The BLAKE family, from whom Anne BLAKE, mother of Elizabeth SAUNDERS, wife of Henry WOLCOTT descended, lived in Calne, Wiltshire for centuries. They left the area in the 18th century. The ancestral home of the BLAKE family was the manor house of Pinhills. The BLAKEs acquired the manor of Pinhills in the 14th century. They were not ennobled with exalted titles but they could boast of noble lineage, for their alliance with the families of FIENNES and DANVERS, they were descended from the worthy founder of New College, Oxford and Winchester College. The BLAKE family became the most prominent in the borough and they sent members to Parliament as early as 1381. By the begining of the 16th century the faily had spread into several distinct branches, but all living in the neighborhood of Pinhills.

The 12th century church of St. Mary The Virgin, in Calne, was built on the site of a previous Saxon church. On 21 April 1628, the Norman tower collapsed and it was replaced by the present, magnificent 120 ft. tower.

The great-great-great grandparents of Anne BLAKE (b.a. 1549) were Robert BLAKE of Calne and Quenberford and his wife, Avice WALLOP (d. 1474) of Southampton, Hampshire. Both are buried in the Calne church. There used to be a stained glass window of the chancel, in which he appeared, with a surcoat charged with his Armorial bearings. His wife appeared in a long robe with a scarf embroidered with arms of her family. This window was destroyed when the steeple crashed to the ground in 1639.

In the British Museum (Harl. M.S. No. 1443, fol. 258) there is a drawing of two kneeling figures copied by John WITHIE, in the year 1616, from the chancel windows of Calne church. The male is represented in a tabard, with arms of BLAKE, singly. On the mantle worn by the female is Gules a bend argent with a cresent for difference. A sketch of this window is included in this volume under the chapter titled, “BLAKE English Ancestry From Chart in Wiltshire.”

In the Civil War in the 1640’s the BLAKEs sided with the Parliamentary forces, against the Crown. At the time, Henry BLAKE, and his wife, Abigail STRINGER, occupied the Pinhills manor house. In 1643, he decided to fortify the house and he garrisoned it with musketeers. He was aided by Colonel MASSEY, Governor of Gloucester, who surrounded it with a moat. Then he constructed an additional outer ring of water, traces of which are still visible today.

[page 113]

[photo]

Present Pinhills Manor House, Built About 1650

When the Royalists in nearby Devizes learned of these fortifications under construction, they sent a raiding party that surrounded the house. Believing their situation was futile, the defenders surrendered. A few weeks later the Royalists demolished the house and drained the moat.

The present house which stands at Pinhills, just beyond the moat, was built from the ruins of the old manor house. It was supposedly built by Ambrose BLAKE, son of Henry, and he was there the year after the Civil War. The last BLAKE of Pinhills left the ancestral home and died, 10 July 1731, in Bristol. His daughter, Frances, erected an impressive memorial to her father in the Gaunt or Mayor’s Chapel at Bristol. He is called, “Henricus BLAAKE de Pinnells”, and his name appears with the arms of the family.

For each of the 37,000 couples herein covered, the husband’s full name (roughly alphabetical, with variant spellings grouped under the most common) is followed sometimes by a superscript to indicate generation (usually first or second), then by birth and death years, if known, in parenthese. “(1654-)” indicates a birth in 1654 and an unknown death year; “(-1700)” indicates an unknown birth year and a death in 1700. “Ca” for “circa” means “about” and “ae 35 in 1674” indicates aged 35 in 1674, a fact recorded probably in a court deposition. After an ampersand, “&”, the wife’s full name is given, with any known birth or death years likewise in parenthesis. “1/wf” or “2/wf” indicates first or second wife, any surname in parenthesis is a maiden name (in general, if there are two surnames, one or both in parenthesis, the first is a maiden surname, the second that of a first husband; if there are three surnames, however the parentheses are placed, the last two are those of previous husbands in chronological order), a blank line (within or outside parenthesis) indicates that the wife’s maiden name is unknown, a surname in brackets is one not derived from a marriage record, “w Daniel” indicates “widow of Daniel,” whose last name is given earlier, and “m/2” or “m/3”, followed by a man’s full name and often a year, indicates a second or third marriage. After the data on husband and wife is a semi-colon, then a date. If the date is exact — 25 Nov. 1674 — it is a marriage (or marriage intention) date; if it is a year only, preceded “b”, it is the birth date of a first child, not the birthdate of either partner, and the marriage can be assumed to have taken place a year or more earlier. Often these “first child” birthdates are approximate. Following this date is a list of residences, from marriage through usually the death of the husband, in chronological order. Question marks alongside any data indicate doubt, of course; “+” after a date means “following”, “-” means “Before”, and stray kinships that might provide clues to origins are sometimes noted as well. Since marriages of men with the same name are also roughly chronological, and each marriage is listed separately, data on a man’s second marriage (including residence only after it) often does not immediately follow the listing for his first.